The Pittsburgh Steelers will lose their star running back Jaylen Warren to face the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin, Ireland in week 4 of the NFL. Warren, among other major players, went missing abruptly and this has forced the Steelers to scramble and re-establish their team in this historic first-time regular season game in Ireland.
Jaylen Warren Sidelines Himself With a Knee Injury
Jaylen Warren was a doubtful case having hurt his right knee during Thursday practice. Although there had been some optimism early in the week, the running back failed to persuade the coaching staff that he was fit. He was caught warming up and wearing a sleeve on his right leg but eventually was declared inactive.
Offensive Challenge by Steeleers
Jaylen Warren is now a key component of the Pittsburgh offense at 26, a versatile, big-play offensive player. He has a bye in Week 5, so he will have plenty of time to rest, and would be anticipated to play again on October 12, versus the Cleveland Browns.
Pittsburgh’s Inactive List
Jaylen Warren is not the only major omission. The Steelers will also lose cornerback Joey Porter Jr., outside linebacker Alex Highsmith, guard Andrus Peat and defensive end Esezi Otomewo. This is even more difficult in losing a starting back, top corner, and edge rusher.
Backfield Adjustments
The Steelers will be left with Kenneth Gainwell, Kaleb Johnson and Trey Sermon to shoulder the burden in the absence of Warren. Gainwell, a good receiver, probably will be involved more in the passing game, and Johnson and Sermon will have more traditional receiving responsibilities. Fantasy managers might like to aim at Gainwell who is rostered in 18% of Yahoo Fantasy leagues to get a late-minute boost.
Vikings’ Inactives
Minnesota also unveiled a handful of inactives such as QBs Desmond Ridder (emergency) and J.J. McCarthy, outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel and center Donovan Jackson, tackle Walter Rouse and tight end Ben Yusorek. Even with these missing, the fundamental lineup of the Vikings is in place and this puts them in advantage as the international challenge commences.
Dublin Showdown Preview
Both teams have 2-1 historical records and are coming into the game on the heels of Week 3 victories. Cincinnati was beaten by the Vikings 48-10 last week and Isaiah Rodgers became the first player in NFL history to score two defensive touchdowns and force two fumbles. On the offensive side, Carson Wentz a backup QB and RB Jordan Mason drove the team with good performances.
Instead, Pittsburgh narrowly escaped with a 23-16 victory against New England, with a lot of the victory being due to the turnovers. QB Aaron Rodgers had to control 139 yards, 2 TDs, and an interception, however, the Steelers offense has been unable to establish a regular set of actions as they have only scored 31 points between the last two games.
The Steelers will be forced to have their backups play the Vikings defense that is on a high after the triumphant performance, without Jaylen Warren. When the offense is unable to start, the day can be long in Dublin as a Pittsburgh fan.
Lions, Bills Dominate NFL Power Rankings, Chiefs Fall to Below.500